


A Roguish Reboot

by magician



Category: The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Backstory, Challenge Response, Episode Related, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:02:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22963594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magician/pseuds/magician
Summary: What if Blair was the C.I.A. duty officer instead of Lee Brackett when Jim was rescued from Peru? This is a reworking of the "Rogue" episode backstory.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23
Collections: Artifact Storage Room 3, TSCC 13: AU Meeting





	A Roguish Reboot

**Author's Note:**

> Written for TS Chat Concrit Challenge to the prompt "different meeting AU".

Fort Bragg Military Base, Fayetteville, North Carolina. September, 1989  
  
"Enter," Colonel Winters called out at the knock on his office door.  
  
"Sir, C.I.A. duty officer Dr. Blair Sandburg is here to see you," Sergeant Merrill, Winters' assistant, announced. Winters nodded and Merrill opened the door wider, allowing the visitor to enter.  
  
Winters scrutinized the man, who was dressed professionally in a neat shirt and khakis. His short, curly hair was unruly by military standards and he didn't look old enough to be a doctor. He carried a file folder in his left hand and extended his right to offer a handshake. "Colonel," he acknowledged.  
  
"I was expecting Lee Brackett," Winters said, frowning.  
  
"I heard he's got a bad case of food poisoning. Since you wanted this expedited, they sent me."  
  
Mollified, Winters sat back. "What did you find?"  
  
"I've read Captain Matthis' report and interviewed him about the extraction of Captain Ellison from Peru," Sandburg answered. "I also read the debrief of Ellison himself as well as his medical records. He did a remarkable job integrating himself into the local tribe, building good camaraderie to carry out his mission. We can continue to use that camaraderie to fight the insurgents.

"He's in good shape physically," Sandburg continued. "Emotionally, he's got problems. Stress from being on duty non-stop for eighteen months, grief over losing his team, survivor guilt, anger about being written off as M.I.A., as well as his belief they were given bad intel are all contributing factors."  
  
Winters scowled. "We lost good men on that mission. If it was a SNAFU, what are you going to do about it? Oliver provided the intel, didn't he?"  
  
Sandburg nodded. "Colonel Oliver's been with the Company a long time and has powerful friends. I haven’t been with the C.I.A. long, but I'm starting an investigation. I'd like to talk to Ellison to see what else I can learn to assist me." At Winters' snort of disbelief, Sandburg added, "I assure you I don't want this swept under the rug."  
  
"And what about Ellison's hallucinatory behavior Matthis said he observed?"  
  
Sandburg shrugged casually. "It's hard to tell without further questioning, which could prove counter-productive. Ellison's debrief was quite thorough--don't you think he's been interrogated enough?"  
  
"What are you suggesting?"

Sandburg flipped open the folder and looked at a report. "This guy is one medical opinion away from being diagnosed with PTSD. You could lose him permanently. On top of that, the NEWS magazine article has made him a hot topic. Do you really want the press hounding him?" He looked up. "Surely, Ellison's racked up enough leave time in the last year and a half to grant him some R&R? He'll get a chance to recover and I'll have time to complete my investigation. It'll also get him out of the limelight. Just let me get what I need from him about Oliver, then send him off someplace pleasant and secluded --maybe Bali?"

Winters nodded. "Sergeant Merrill will take you. I'll process his leave." As Sandburg rose to go, he added, "I expect you to keep me informed."  
  
*****  
  
Blair had to stop himself from bouncing as he followed the sergeant to the barracks. _This guy could be the real thing_ , he thought. The things Matthis observed fit almost perfectly with Burton's descriptions of tribal sentinels, which had been the subject of Blair's doctoral thesis. Of course, he knew from his psych courses there were other reasons that could explain Ellison's behavior. But if he _was_ a sentinel, this first meeting was crucial. He could be coming face to face with his Holy Grail.  
  
As he entered the room and took in Ellison's weary demeanor, Blair's feelings of excitement evaporated. All he wanted to do was to help this warrior, no matter what it took. "Captain Ellison," he called softly, noticing Jim flinch at the sound. He softened his voice further. "My name is Blair Sandburg."

the end


End file.
